Alabama’s road conditions have been recognized among the safest across the country. According to a study done by the ConsumerAffairs Research Team, Alabama’s road conditions rank second overall in the country with 96.5 percent of its urban roads and 98.7 percent of its rural roads in acceptable condition.

The ranking comes just five years after the State Legislature adopted Governor Kay Ivey’s Rebuild Alabama Act, which is administered through the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT).

The Rebuild Alabama Act, through two local grant programs, has awarded over $392 million across all 67 counties for road and bridge improvements.

Resurfacing

ALDOT works with the Federal Highway Administration to slow the deterioration of state roads as well as maximize the impact of every dollar spent.

ALDOT’s Pavement Preservation Policy defines two types of road maintenance projects: preventative maintenance and minor rehabilitation.

ALDOT annually evaluates the condition of pavement to prioritize resurfacing and pavement maintenance plans.

Closing the Gaps

Through these programs and grants, ALDOT has made progress toward closing gaps in the existing transportation network. For example, ALDOT connected Etowah and Cherokee Counties by relocating and expanding US-411 on a new alignment west of the old two-lane roadway.

The nearly six-mile stretch of new highway between Turkeytown and Leesburg provides Cherokee County with its first four-lane connection to an interstate, completing the four-lane corridor from the county seat at Centre to I-759 as well as I-59 in Gadsden.

In Mobile County, ALDOT completed a 14.32-mile stretch of roadway connecting I-65 in Mobile to the Mississippi state line. SR-158 takes heavy truck traffic off US-98 giving local commerce an additional route to transport goods and services throughout the region.

A project soon to be completed in Autauga County will widen US-82 in Prattville, improving the daily commute of over 17,000 drivers and completing the Prattville Bypass.

Congestion Relief

A primary focus for ALDOT has also been to relieve congestion.

In Tuscaloosa County, ALDOT has completed a $33.91 million project on US-82 from SR-69 to Rice Mine Road. The roadway now features an additional travel lane in each direction. That allows improved access to businesses and a shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians.

A project in Montgomery County will install two new roundabouts in Pike Road at the intersections of SR-126 and US-80 and Marler Road and US-80. Roundabouts have proven to be effective in enhancing road safety and reducing traffic congestion.

In Jefferson County, ALDOT will widen SR-150 to five lanes from CR-52 to Lakeshore Parkway. ALDOT will also replace a bridge over Little Shades Creek, enhancing safety and traffic flow.

Bridges

ALDOT has made major gains across the state with bridge replacements and rehabilitations. Over the last two decades, the number of structurally deficient bridges in Alabama has drastically dropped.

In 2007, there were 213 structurally deficient bridges. Due to continuous improvements such as rehabilitations and replacements, that number dropped to 60 bridges in 2024.

On the Tennessee River Bridge on I-65, a $23.7 million project includes cleaning, painting and repairing concrete and structural steel on the 50-year-old bridges.

In Mobile County, ALDOT is currently working on a $78.8 million bridge replacement project. The project will replace the aging westbound span of the Tensaw River Bridge on the US-90 Causeway.

The replacement bridge will feature a durable concrete structure designed to withstand the elements and improve structural integrity. This upgrade benefits motorists and provides a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle path, supporting safe, accessible routes for all travelers near Battleship Memorial Park.

Local Benefits

For all the improvements ALDOT has made, local governments are benefiting from new revenues and grant programs. These funds may be used to rehabilitate, improve, or sometimes create, new roadways.